Windows in Time
by Dreams Bleed Ink
Summary: Collection of short stories and character studies from various points in time. At the moment, the focus will be the 5th Division and 10th Division.
1. A Deliberate Reaction

The first time Hinamori saw the white haori with the kanji "10" emblazoned on his back, she felt alarm pierce her heart. "_I'm not ready_."

But the set of his shoulders (_they are broader than I remember, how is that possible?_) and the smirk on his face as he turned to face her (_that cocky smirk, the same as always, same as the very first time I saw him… was it really so long ago?_), told her very clearly that _he_ was. And of course he would be, why shouldn't he be ready? Hinamori had seen the glances other students cast in his direction slowly change over time from mockery to awe. She heard the whispers: _child prodigy_. But she also knew that he worked hard. He always worked hard, even if others were inclined to chalk it all up to genius, as if genius was some kind of magic that granted him all his achievements. Two kids from the Rukongai, when had they ever had anything easy?

Of course he was ready. Even if it was all happening a little too fast for her. And she should be happy for him. Even if it was now his duty to protect others instead of being the one protected; to put himself in harm's way so that others may be safe.

"_Captain Aizen is also a captain, and I don't worry for him. I don't worry about _myself_,_" she rationalized.

Her heart still hammered.

She should be happy. She should be. She will be. And he will never know of these thoughts. Never.

So she smiled at him, who was still standing there with his devil-may-care expression, so at odds with his steady blue-green gaze that seemed ready to wait forever for her reaction, and said deliberately, brightly, "Congratulations, Shiro-chan!"


	2. Bitter Taste of Karma

"Congratulations, Shiro-chan!" Her congratulations rang out across the courtyard, reaching the ears of other captains who were just walking away at that moment, having already given their congratulations to their newest member.

Hinamori felt better as soon as the words left her mouth. This is how all this should go, this is the way it should be. "_After all, alarm is a strange reaction_." Hinamori wondered a little at herself now at her melodramatic thoughts moments earlier.

"Oi, don't call me Shiro-chan anymore, Bed-Wetter. You have to call me 'Hitsugaya-taicho' from now on." Hitsugaya scowled at her and crossed his arms, completely conscious of the fact that the other captains could still hear her.

Hinamori laughed, "Right, sorry about that. It'll take a little getting used to. But listen, let's go celebrate! I'll treat you to dinner, let's invite Rangiku too. And…" Hinamori gasped as a thought occurred to her, her eyes brightening.

"Granny! Have you told Granny about your promotion yet? She would be so happy! Maybe we should go see her tonight. She'll want to cook us dinner. Maybe we should send a message to her first then plan for a dinner a few days from now and go out tonight first. Or maybe we should wait to have dinner with her, I'm sure she would love to meet Rangiku…"

"Idiot, breath a little or you're going to pass out," Hitsugaya interrupted her excited monologue and conceded a small smile. He hadn't missed her pause earlier and the strange expression on her face just before she congratulated him. He had wondered at its meaning, almost worried, but with her normal ebullience back in full force, he assumed that she was just startled to see him in a captain's haori. Which is just as it should be.

"I sent a message to Granny a few hours ago, and I told her we will come see her in a few days."

"_He's so responsible_," Hinamori noted. But Hitsugaya always did the right thing when it mattered, even when he was still a little brat who loved to tease her. Not that he was that much bigger now, nor had he stopped teasing her, really. She suppressed a grin and resisted the temptation to voice her thoughts. Not very much had changed. All was still well.

"Oh, that's good. So let's go celebrate tonight! Where do you want…" She noticed that Hitsugaya's gaze shifted away from her face to a point somewhere behind her and turned to see a Hell Butterfly fluttering towards them. Hitsugaya extended his forefinger for it to alight upon. A moment later, a small frown creased his brow.

"Hinamori," Hitsugaya sighed, as the Hell Butterfly flew away, a small black shape against the sunset-orange sky. "I have to go." He looked back at her. His gaze was steady and clear, knowing that she would understand. No apology was asked for, because such things are unnecessary between them. Hinamori understood.

Disappointment bloomed in her heart anyway.

"I know, it's fine. Let's have dinner tomorrow." Hinamori forced a smile, for both their sakes. Her efforts were rewarded with the return of that small smile to Hitsugaya's face.

"Definitely tomorrow," he said firmly, feeling as confident in that statement as he was in her understanding. With a nod that served as his goodbye, he turned from her and started towards his new barracks, his new office, and his new responsibilities.

Hinamori suddenly had a flashback of the times when it was she who was the one to leave Hitsugaya behind with a smile, confident that she would see him again soon and that he would understand.

Karma tasted bitter to her.

As Hinamori watched Hitsugaya walk away, the kanji "10" growing smaller and smaller across the distance between them, the ache in her chest told her that she had lost something today. Although she didn't know exactly what that something was, Hinamori's instincts told her that her first reaction to seeing the kanji "10" branded on his back been the correct one.


End file.
